October 10, 1972
My fellow countrymen:
Today is the 61st Double Tenth National Day of the Republic of China. Our revolutionary course of the last 60 years reflects a revolutionary history marked by unwavering, persevering resistance to aggressors from without and struggle against traitors from within. During this period, we have fought single-handedly against all odds to neutralize adverse conditions and create new situations.
We all know that:
—When our National Father, Dr. Sun Yat-sen, embarked upon the Northward Expedition, he had only the small area of Canton for his base. His expeditionary force faced a million troops of the northern warlords and was held back by the mutiny of Kwangsi faction forces led by Yang Hsi-min and Liu Chen-huan in collaboration with the Merchants' Volunteer Corps in Canton. The advance was stopped at Shao Kuan in Kwangtung province. But the officers and cadets of the Whampoa Military Academy, without even an overnight supply of food or a single inch of ground for a base and with only newly trained troops, eventually suppressed the mutiny of the Volunteer Corps and the rebellion of Yang and Liu, deterred the covetous ambitions of the imperialists and opened the way to the subsequent victories of the Northward Expedition.
— When Dr. Sun was ready to resume the Northward Expedition, new revolts erupted. With his forces on the East River, Chen Chiung-ming secretly colluded with warlords in North China, while Yang Hsi-min and Liu Chen-huan in Kwangsi and Lu Jung-ting in Kwangtung rose in rebellion. The National Revolutionary Forces were sandwiched between opposing armies. But with the support of the people's unwavering unity and spontaneous manifestations of loyalty and courage, the National Revolutionary Forces not only undertook repeated attacks on the enemy in East China, but also found opportunity to return to Kwangtung and Kwangsi to put down the rebellion of Chen Chiung-ming and his accomplices, unify the two provinces and lay the foundation for victory in Yunnan.
— After the death of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the National Revolutionary Forces carried out his last will and testament with a resumption of the Northward Expedition. At that time, members of the Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) at Nanking and Wuhan were divided as a consequence of Chinese Communist machinations and the imperialists instigated a massacre at Tsinan, the capital of Shantung province, to sabotage the national cause. Nevertheless, the National Revolutionary Forces persisted in their efforts to unify China and win freedom for the people. They fought on without pause, shedding blood and braving hardship, although the Canton base was seized by the enemy and the supply line to the rear was severed. In the end, success in this struggle led to the victory in the Northward Expedition.
— After China's unification, the imperialists, Chinese Communists and warlord remnants did not desist, but instead intensified their treachery. This resulted in the murder of a number of foreigners and a series of riots in both the cities and the countryside. Battles in Central China, incidents in Kwangtung and Kwangsi provinces, rebellion in Foochow and other incidents followed. These events echoed each other and were so interwoven as seriously to undermine the newly completed unification of the country. Yet even at this time of continuous combat and war, we were determinedly undertaking programs of political tutelage and national economic reconstruction. The ensuing decade, in which we rebuilt the nation under difficult circumstances, afforded the first example of stressing the people's livelihood as the most important aspect of national reconstruction.
— For the 14 long and difficult years of the War of Resistance Against Japan, our country's coastal areas were devastated and controlled by the enemy's firepower. All routes leading to the outside world were shut off by blockade. The subversive usurpation by the puppet Manchukuo (Manchuria) regime took place in the Northeast provinces. In North China, the traitors Wang Ke-min and Ying Ju-keng were in collusion with the enemy. The puppet regime of Wang Ching-wei carried out overt usurpation in Nanking. Even worse, the Maoist Communist gang attacked and obstructed the National Forces on every battlefield, engaged in all manner of treacherous schemes to sabotage the National Government and established "soviets" in many districts. But because of unwavering adherence to the principle that the country and people come before all else and as a result of success in the mobilization movement to concentrate all our will and all our strength, the final victory was won after the 14-year-long period of encirclement and hundreds of battles.
These historical facts of unassisted struggle against adversity demonstrate that no foreign invaders and no traitors to the people could escape the fate of being defeated and annihilated when confronted by the great movement of our Three Principles of the People based on internal unification and external peace.
All of us have been repeatedly buffeted and challenged by the dark currents of international appeasement in recent years. But we have not been disquieted in time of adverse change and our resoluteness has grown greater and stronger. This is because our nation's stand is based on the principle of being careful with planning and judicious in making decisions and because our people have the spirit of being "firm with dignity and self-reliant with vigor." This has given rise to the powerful and irresistible force of justice and freedom, thus leaving our anti-Communist struggle for national recovery undisturbed and unshaken by temporary adversity, and has provided further evidence that in the changing world situation of today, our bastion of national renascence occupies a crucial position in free Asia and the free world.
The Tanaka government of Japan has now publicly ignored justice, law and reason, and has disregarded the disapproval of farsighted persons in Japan and the international community, to collaborate in abnormal diplomatic relations with the warmongering Chinese Communists. Japan understands that the Chinese Communists seek to increase their illusory prestige externally in order to assuage their serious internal crisis. But because of its shortsightedness and desire for quick gains, the Japanese government has brazenly distorted the unlawful into the lawful and the abnormal into the normal. No attention has been given to the fact that in order to lure Lin Piao into struggling down Liu Shao-chi, Mao Tse-tung wrote him into the "draft constitution" as his "dearest comrade-in-arms" and made Lin his successor. When Liu Shao-chi's forces were crushed and demolished and Lin Piao wanted to take over as successor to Mao and "chairman of the state," he was pursued and killed as he tried to escape and accused of being in collusion with a foreign country, of seeking to divide the Communist Party and of hastily attempting to seize power. The feeling of increasing suffocation over such internal strife and mutual eliminations have compelled Mao Tse-tung to "mix sand," "throw stones" and "dig under the wall"· on a bigger and wider scale, ceaselessly to carry out "criticism, revisionism and rectification" and to "concentrate criticism and concentrate struggle." As internal disturbances and struggles became intensified and worse, Mao Tse-tung and Chou En-lai were forced to enter into an abnormal and illusory relationship with Kakuei Tanaka and Masayoshi Ohira. The Chinese Communist regime is bankrupt and chaos-stricken; it denies all human values and negates all respect for law; and it is treacherous and vicious. There is nothing in such a spurious regime which can be called normal. Neither can the puffed-up grass scarecrow Mao Tse-tung, who does not even know where to die. Who can point out anything about him that is normal or lawful? Even Chou En-lai does not know the day on which he will be accused of being in collusion with a foreign country and be struggled down and trampled upon. The Japanese diplomacy of opening the door for the thief and the trade policy of drinking poison to quench thirst will inescapably become more and more abnormal and in the end bring the greater and deeper dangers of "mixing sand," "throwing stones" and "digging under the wall" to the Japanese government and people.
The ancient people used to say: "It is important for a nation to have its own plans. Its security or insecurity should not be contingent on the rise or fall of neighboring countries. What matters is to make our own preparations. We then may feel neither happiness nor regret at the availability or non-availability of emergency assistance from neighboring countries." Today our spirit and determination are based on the spirit and determination of not being intimidated by force nor tempted by gain, and our government and people have been armed with the resolution and action of our own planning and preparations. The extent of the isolation and the hardship of our Northward Expedition and War of Resistance Against Japan were ten or even a hundred times worse than the situation we face today. We were nevertheless able to fight against a numerically superior enemy with our limited forces and transform weakness into strength. This may seem like another time in which the revolutionary finds himself isolated in difficulties and standing alone in behalf of righteousness and morality. Actually, however, this is exactly the age in which the revolutionary finds himself able to win through to freedom and troth and to express the people's will and spiritual strength on behalf of what is right and just.
Today we not only occupy a strategic geographical position and a psychologically advantageous political position, but we also have inherited Chinese culture, provided a free and democratic way of life and assumed the role of secure and strong defender of the anti-Communist dikes. Considering that the government of the Republic of China is the only legitimate government of China, to which all the Chinese people at home and abroad pledge allegiance with all their heart and soul, there is nothing to prevent our success in counterattack, national recovery and suppression of the rebellion. In truth, all these blows, slanders and sufferings are inevitable phenomena in the process of revolution and also the facts that we must face. We revolutionaries welcome these trials as occasions for testing our mettle and toughening our moral fiber. I have stressed from the beginning that to recover the mainland is the paramount goal in our persevering struggle and that we shall never become disquieted or emotionally upset about lesser matters and thus ignore or neglect our top priority objective. As long as the main goal can be reached all blows, slanders, heretical theories and manifestations of violence will vanish as surely as melting ice and dissipating clouds.
Today at home and abroad all our compatriots, military and civilian alike, scholars and youths, are struggling for truth and justice and shouldering responsibility for the sacred war and the great task of national recovery and national reconstruction. They not only have raised the morale of revolutionaries to the highest degree, but also have shown a totality of unity with no smallest exception. Millions of our overseas Chinese are tied to us by blood and flesh, forgetting that they live abroad, and the revolutionaries on the Chinese mainland are echoing and communicating with us in their hearts. These sincere, avowed anti-Communist endeavors are surging up and spreading across the world and identifying the beginning of our new great revolutionary and struggle period of "creating a situation of defeating the enemy, making faultless plans, standing on the ground of no defeat and holding in our hands the authority of assured victory! "
Now let us join in the cheers of the day:
Long live the Republic of China!
Long live the Three Principles of the People!
Long live the victory and success of anti-Communism, suppression of the Mao rebels, national recovery and national reconstruction!
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*Note: These three phrases were first used by Mao Tse-tung in a 1971 tour of the mainland which set the stage for the purging of Lin Piao. "Mixing sand" means infiltrating Mao's followers into the Military Affairs Commission formerly controlled by Lin. "Throwing stones" means criticism of Chen Po-ta, who also was purged. "Digging under the wall" means reorganization of the Peiping Military District to terminate Lin's control.
Premier Chiang Ching-kuo's administrative report to the Legislative Yuan
September 29, 1972
Mr. Chairman and Honorable Members of the Legislative Yuan:
Today the Legislative Yuan is holding the first meeting of its 50th session. I am greatly honored to have this opportunity to report to you on government administration again. My last report on administrative policies was made three and a half months ago. I sincerely hope you will give your advice and comments.
Our Position and Task in the Changing International Situation
During the past three months and more, the international situation has continued to be tumultuous and in a state of flux with increased absurdity and perversity. This is, of course, a greater trial for us. Facing such a difficult situation in international affairs, I am appreciative of your constant counsel and your manifestations of utmost loyalty and patriotism in giving the government guidelines for administration.
Although we are facing a crisis today, the destiny of this nation is held in our own hands. If we can uphold our faith firmly and struggle forward resolutely, we shall overcome any difficulty and surmount any danger to win the final victory of anti-Communism and national recovery.
In this moment we ourselves have built up powerful strength which has a decisive effect not only on the security of Asia but also on that of the whole free world. This ill because in holding such a crucial key position, we are shouldering the tasks of the mainstay against the currents of adversity in Asia and the world. This ideal and aspiration obviously cannot be changed by anyone.
Facts show that although the Chinese Communists have occupied the mainland for more than 20 years, they have not been able to achieve their aggressive ambition. This is solely because we are still in Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu, the bastion for counter-offensive, and in holding the central position of the anti-Communist defense line in the Western Pacific, we have our hands on the throat of the Chinese Communists. We hold in our hands not only strong armed forces to defend the line, but also the Three Principles of the People (of Dr. Sun Yat-sen), which is the lodestar of the era and upholds justice, freedom and democracy, as well as a peaceful and prosperous society which is serving as the rallying center for the hearts of all the millions of Chinese both at home and abroad and in front and in the rear of the enemy lines. This surging anti-Communist strength has for long held the Chinese Communists in check and prevented them from taking reckless actions, and has given rise to numerous and continuous internal struggles and disturbances within the Chinese mainland. Without doubt, this has been the essential factor in maintaining the security of the free area of the Asian and Pacific region during past years.
It is not difficult to imagine what the situation would be in Asia and the whole free world today were it not for contribution of the Republic of China during the last 20 years and more. We can affirmatively assert that the anti-Communist defense line for the whole of the Western Pacific, from the Bering Sea in the north to the South China Sea in the south, would have been penetrated; that many free nations in the Asian and Pacific region would have been communized; and that even the nations of Oceania and the United States, which is on the other side of the Pacific, would have been directly threatened by the aggressive forces of Communism. The strategic position involved in this defense has not changed; it has even greater prominence today. Regrettably, however, the vigilance of the free world is being weakened and some even have come to doubt the existence of the situation. Whatever their point of view, those who are changing their minds have fallen victim to the vicious trickery of the Chinese Communists. As a reminder to our foreign friends and to alert ourselves, and also to accelerate the solidifying of our position and the accomplishment of our task, we must once again emphasize that the existing bastion of national renascence in Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu of the Republic of China serves as a bulwark for the protection of free Asia, and that the security or imperilment of this bastion directly affects the security or imperilment of Asia and the whole world, just as the whole of the body can be moved by pulling a single hair.
With regard to the future of our country, we need not concern ourselves about the assessments of others so long as our own hearts are filled with confidence and hope. This is to say that when we view a problem, a situation or a development, we must not take the view of the moment or of a part of the whole; we must simultaneously take the long view, see the whole part and take a broad perspective.
In the long view, our anti-Communist struggle to defend freedom and safeguard democracy will assuredly succeed!
Seen as a whole, our righteous anti-Communist war to punish the wicked, console our compatriots, eliminate violence and suppress rebellion will assuredly be victorious!
Viewed in broad perspective, our efforts and struggle to glorify the Three Principles of the People and to safeguard the peace of the world will assuredly carry the day!
Our Firm and Unchangeable Principles
Because the current international situation is constantly changing, the people of our nation may be inclined toward a psychology of demanding changes. They may hope that the government will make changes in order to meet changes. Some of our foreign friends also expect us to make changes. In carrying out its administration, this government has from time to time made various adaptations to meet the changes of subjective and objective circumstances in keeping with the discretion implied by order and importance. However, in adapting ourselves, we can never deviate from certain basic principles. This means that in making changes, there are basic principles which are unchangeable. These unchangeable principles include the fundamental national policy of anti-Communism and national recovery to which we adhere with firmness. Today I wish solemnly to declare to you, as well as to all of the Chinese people at home and abroad and to all the people of the world, that the firm and unchangeable principles to which we shall always adhere are these:
— The system of the state of the Republic of China as established under Article 1 of the Constitution will never be changed!
— The overall goals of anti-Communism and national recovery of the Republic of China will never be changed!
— The Republic of China will side always with the democratic bloc and its will and duty in upholding righteousness and justice and in safeguarding the peace of the world will never be changed!
— The resolute position of the Republic of China of never compromising with the Chinese Communist rebel group will never be changed!
Because we have held firmly to our basic and unchangeable principles, the world already has made many changes. We are convinced that in the future as a result of our unwavering moral fortitude and position, the world will make changes in the right direction and this consequently will instigate the Chinese Communists to foster endless, drastic changes within themselves, changes which will be more chaotic and divisive than ever before and which eventually must lead to their total collapse.
Launching an All-out, Total and Decisive War Against the Chinese Communists
We have maintained from the beginning that the Maoist Communists on the Chinese mainland will always be divided and that there will be unceasing internal struggle and chaos among them. In fact, the Maoist Communists have promoted divisiveness within the international Communist bloc and power struggles within their own party factions; thus internal and external chaos has never subsided for even a day. But what threatens the Chinese Communists most of all is our bastion of recovery, which stands high as a mountain and the security, harmony, happiness and prosperity in the lives of our people; these have become objects of hope for survival and of struggle for freedom to the millions of our compatriots who are enslaved and persecuted on the mainland. This bastion has lighted the bright and sacred fires of anti-Communism and anti-brutality. In the past two decades and more, therefore, resistance campaigns on the mainland have sprung up like wind and storm, Communist military personnel and cadres have defected from their organizations and from party control, and tens of thousands of freedom seekers have escaped to liberty. All of them have been summoned to action by the benevolence and inspiration of the Three Principles of the People, and this has been of acute and continuous concern to the Chinese Communists. That is why the Chinese Communists have threatened the Republic of China with military action, political subversion, diplomatic isolation and economic attack. They resort to thousands of tactical tricks in trying to implement their daydream of destroying us and ruthlessly carrying out their tyrannical rule of enslavement.
What we face today is a decisive and total war. For the survival of the Chinese people, the continuation of their culture and the honor of the nation, we must mobilize all our forces, concentrate and unite our combat power so as to undertake an overall counterattack against this rebellious group and, launching on all fronts this all-out, decisive, total war on which hinges the life or death of our country, overcome and destroy our enemy.
Therefore, in all of our actions from now on, whether of domestic administration, diplomacy, national defense, economy, culture or education, and whether of thought, spirit, concept or action, we must concentrate on the target of winning this decisive, total war against the Communists as the supreme and common duty of all the people of this nation.
To Accomplish Fortification Through Development
In making efforts to fortify ourselves over these years, we have paid many a costly price in blood and sweat but we have also accomplished substantial results. Now we must redouble our efforts to continue to develop in order to sustain these achievements and strengthen this anti-Communist bastion for national recovery. I should like to take this opportunity to report briefly on various important measures carried out by the government recently and to solicit your counsel.
First, in promoting political renovation, our objective is to establish a clean and honest political atmosphere.
In June of this year I made ten requests of the nation's public functionaries and expressed hope that all administrative personnel would perfect their personalities and cultivate their conduct, work hard and contribute their wisdom and talent to their work. We want all public functionaries to be clearly aware of the present situation of our country and to understand their personal duties so as to bestow upon them a high sense of responsibility, a strong sense of honor and a warm enthusiasm for their work. We want them to have a new appearance in all matters—in life, behavior, attitude and integrity—and to uphold the interests of the state as their foremost guideline in all activities and the people's welfare as their basic goal so as to achieve the objective of "all officials are public servants" and a government which is truly "for the nation and in the service of the people."
Further to thoroughly carry out political discipline, the government has in the last few months taken strict punitive measures against those who abused the law and profaned their duty. I should like to emphasize strongly that at this critical moment of our nation we must not allow any unworthy persons to violate political discipline and damage the integrity of the government. We shall therefore carry through to the end these punitive measures against disgraceful and unworthy public officials so as to separate the bad apples from the good.
Additionally, we have also adopted necessary measures to improve public administration. Included are the deactivation of superfluous government units and the streamlining of responsibility and authority; intensified delegation of authority and division of labor; strengthening of government functions; simplification of documentary procedures so as to increase efficiency; revision and simplification of laws and regulations for the convenience of the public; and study of readjustments in local government organizations. All these undertakings are aimed at improving administrative organizations at all levels to make them efficient, responsible and judicious and at providing clean and honest government.
Secondly, economic reconstruction is one of the most important elements in increasing our national strength. We have successfully completed five four-year economic development plans and have laid a firm foundation for expansion of the national stamina. This is the last year of our fifth four-year economic plan. In the first half of the year, although confronted by adverse developments resulting from both political and economic changes internationally, we have made substantial progress economically because of our surging spirit of self-reliance and the hard work of the whole nation. Compared with the same period of last year, only agricultural production was down by 1.1 per cent because of the weather, while industrial production showed growth of 27.4 per cent with power generation increasing by 14.5 per cent. Customs statistics showed that as of the end of August, the volume of two-way trade had exceeded US$3,537 million. Compared with the same period last year, the increase was 45.8 per cent and the favorable balance was more than US$293 million. The present foreign exchange reserve is 50 per cent higher than at the end of last year. But fluctuations of international exchange rates affected the commodity price indices in the first half of the year. The wholesale index advanced by 4.1 per cent and the retail price index by 4.11 per cent compared with the same period last year. We have watched the situation closely and taken necessary measures to prevent price fluctuations.
On the financial and monetary side, the support of your esteemed Yuan in passing the Revised Customs Import Tariff and the Regulations Governing Commodity Taxes has recently made it possible for us to meet the exigencies of international economic change and the requirements of domestic economic development. We have continued strict control over the budget. As a result, our balance of payments for fiscal 1972 shows a sizable surplus and there is no need to request a supplementary appropriation.
In view of trends in the present stage of economic development and facing changes in the international situation, we are of the opinion that we should decide on the directions of our future economic development on a basis of the facts. These will be our guidelines:
— To accelerate the modernization of agricultural production and the increase of farmers' income, we have decided that in addition to the all-out implementation of the Measures for Accelerating Rural and Agricultural Development, and active assistance and guidance to farmers in improving their agricultural productive technology and to increase the output of crops, the government will offer special loans for the mechanization of agriculture and will reduce the unnecessary and unreasonable burdens of farmers in order to raise their income and their interest in increasing production. At the same time, the central government and local governments will join in undertaking an overall rural reconstruction program to improve the farmers' living standard.
— To ensure national economic prosperity, we shall do our best to maintain a high rate of economic growth. In achieving this end, we must encourage private investment and assist every important industry to identify and solve problems. The government will give financial support to those industries which have high priority for development. When necessary, the government will provide funds so as to take the lead in initiating investment.
— To ensure economic growth, the government will increase public investment as necessary, promote public construction and encourage the construction of private housing.
— Medium and small industries faced with difficulties because of the changing international situation will be offered government financial and technological help and assistance in finding foreign markets to assure their development and growth.
— We shall actively help domestic industries produce their own machinery, electrical and electronic apparatus, automobiles and parts so as to reduce reliance on imports. We shall diversify sources of supply for parts and important raw materials which have to be imported.
— We shall devote maximum efforts to the promotion of external trade and seek diversified economic relationships. We shall positively assist public and private trade organizations to increase their export capability and help them build up their international trade network.
— We shall ensure an adequate supply of daily necessities and important raw materials, with a reserve sufficient for at least three months. The Central Bank of China will help provide financial support for procurements whenever required.
In social development, we shall actively assist and encourage the people of the whole nation in their ideals and capabilities of creation and development. Thus our society can continue to renovate itself and to grow and progress, thereby making our country more prosperous and stronger.
Continuous cultivation and development of our people's knowledge, techniques and physical fitness are required preconditions which also will serve as the main guiding force in assuring that our country and our people will endure forever. Consequently, we have been giving special attention to the extension of education to all levels, to the technical training of our people, to the strengthening of public health activities and to the prevention of all kinds of public health hazards. Our purpose is to promote the development and progress of society.
We shall continue to stress implementation of the nine-year program of free education which was started four years ago. Additionally, we shall correctly uphold and practice the spirit and content of ethics, democracy and science so as to give rise to a wholly new generation for our country.
The strengthening and expansion of vocational education and technical training are major steps in attaining the efficient utilization of manpower so as to catch up with economic development. Similarly, we shall promote scientific development projects, giving priority to those required in economic development and emphasis to those which are closely related to the national economy and the people's livelihood.
Promotion of the national health, the raising of the family living standard and provision of a healthful life environment are among established goals which we are implementing step by step. We seek guarantees of reasonable protection and constructive progress for the public health.
With regard to national defense and military affairs. we shall follow our established principle of giving the same emphasis to military build-up and combat preparations through modernization of the armed forces and the strengthening of combat training in readiness for military action at any time and to the end that every battle will be won and every enemy defeated. The personnel policy of the armed forces is to maintain their elite quality; the intelligence operations of the armed forces are to determine what the enemy is doing and to detect and defeat the enemy's intentions; the logistics of the armed forces is more stable and adaptable than previously and we are seeking further improvement. With these emphases and with the close coordination of military administration and command, we can assure that our armed forces are always first class and possessed of the highest and most extensive capability for combat. They will not only be able to shoulder responsibility for fortifying our bases of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu in order to meet any and all changes in the world situation, but they also will be able to accomplish the revolutionary mission of counterattacking on the Chinese mainland.
Self-Strengthening for Survival
Honorable Members of the Legislative Yuan: With our own consolidation, we need have no fear of external adversity. The Japanese government is today openly collaborating with the Chinese Communists. This is exceptionally unfriendly conduct and seriously damaging to the relationship between the Republic of China and Japan. Our government has repeatedly issued solemn statements strongly to oppose, formally to condemn and seriously to protest Japan's actions. The people of our whole nation, military and civilian alike, overseas Chinese and our scholars and students abroad, have never ceased to express their firm support of our government's stand, to demonstrate their ardent love for liberty and their patriotism, and to show that the Chinese people identify the same foe, share the same hatred and voice from righteous hearts the same sentiments of anti-Communism.
Our basic policy in foreign affairs is to continue and to strengthen existing diplomatic relations with other countries. As to those which have no diplomatic ties with us but are friendly, we shall actively maintain contacts with them in all forms of relationships. At the same time, we shall make further efforts in sowing new seeds of friendship in all parts of the free world in the hope that our goodwill and amity will take root and grow.
Since the deterioration of the Sino-Japanese peace treaty, we have held to these basic attitudes vis-a-vis Japan:
First, we have done our best to maintain diplomatic ties between the Republic of China and Japan and to preserve the Sino-Japanese peace treaty. Second, if Japan betrays our faith and departs from righteousness, takes unilateral action and brings about a break in relations with us, we shall hold the Japanese government responsible for the severance of diplomatic relations as well as for all the ensuing unfortunate consequences arising from this.
Based on this position, I stated clearly to the Japanese special envoy, Etsusaburo Shiina, that the Republic of China emphasizes the Sino-Japanese relationship because we want to save Japan from the disaster of communization, save the Asian people from Communist enslavement and rescue our 700 million compatriots on the Chinese mainland from their prolonged misery of enslavement by tyrants. I also pointed out that history has proved that if the Japanese government is a friend of the Republic of China, Japan will enjoy stability and prosperity; if Japan is hostile to us, she will suffer destruction and ruination. Japan has maintained friendly relations with us for more than 20 years just past. As a consequence, the Japanese have known a lengthy period of prosperity and stability. The day when Japan completes its collaboration with the Chinese Communists would be the first day in the start of Japan's collapse.
No matter how the situation may develop, we have decided that we shall go our own way-that is, uniting together under President Chiang Kai-shek's leadership, disregarding difficulties, disregarding danger, persevering without wavering, dauntless and fearless, resolutely continuing to carry through our policy of anti-Communism and national recovery.
At the same time, I also warned Special Envoy Shiina that at this critical moment Japan should take care not to invite the wolf into its house. At that time, we thought Japan might still awake and refrain from permitting the wolf to enter its domain. But now that Prime Minister Tanaka has visited Peiping in order to take the wolf to Japan, I am afraid the Tanaka government will make a great mistake in time to come and bring endless disaster to Japan.
The present state of affairs having come to such a pass, we shall in the future recognize our goal, march forward in uniformity and prepare for a lengthy period of arduous struggle. Now I wish to reiterate that the Chinese Communists are tyrants who en slave people and who can never represent China. Thus any agreements which the Japanese government may reach with the Chinese Communists are illegal and null and void.
We wish also to advise all free countries that in any efforts to relax international tensions, the first thing to recognize is that the source of tension lies in the expansion, infiltration and subversion of Communist force. They must therefore heighten their vigilance. They must never relax their guard; if they unconsciously do so, they will risk inescapable danger.
Considering the present situation, all of us must, in the future, recognize our goal and, proceeding with footsteps taken in unison, engage in a prolonged and persevering struggle.
Additionally, I would like to take this opportunity to firmly declare that we Chinese are a people with dignity who cannot be intimidated by force or lured by gain. The current problem involving Japan is giving us opportunity to terminate the manipulation or monopolization of our economy by any other country and promoting us to free ourselves from overreliance on foreign capital or technology. This is therefore a good chance for us to build up self-reliance and independence. I earnestly hope that all of our compatriots will stand up squarely, with a single heart and will, for the sake of our national dignity and the future of our people. Only with self-strengthening can we survive.
Directions of Our Future Efforts
Although the situation we face today is fraught with difficulty, this is not the first time that we have been struck by a storm from the outside world. History testifies that when visited by adversity, we have emerged stronger and more courageous than before and have turned the tide and won the victory. This is evidence that the Chinese people cannot be easily humiliated, shaken or subdued.
No matter how absurd the world situation may become in the future, no matter how dangerous the circumstances, the key to national survival and the perpetuation of our people is still held in our own hand. In order to preserve the destiny of our nation and to transform the domestic and international situation, I believe we should hew to these four directions in all our government measures of the future:
1. In domestic affairs, we shall give priority to political renovation, to improvement of the people's welfare and to establishment of clean, competent and honest government.
2. In external affairs, we shall hold firmly to our fundamental national policy and anti-Communist stand, continue to side with the democracies, and grasp the opportunity to carry out with care and discretion an all-out diplomacy based on the principles of independence, self-determination, equality and mutual benefit.
3. In national defense, we shall follow the line of military modernization so as to strengthen our combat force and military preparations, consolidate national defenses, safeguard security and march forward in the sacred task of anti-Communism and national recovery.
4. In economic affairs, we shall promote the prosperity and development of agriculture, industry, business and trade; raise the people's standard of living; and accelerate economic growth and stability in the spirit of independence and self-strengthening. We expect that five years from now, or by 1976 and the successful completion of our sixth four-year economic development plan, our gross national product will have surpassed US$10 billion and per capita income US$550. Ten years from now, or in 1980, the gross national product should have reached US$18 billion and per capita income US$800 to raise the people's standard of living to a new high.
These goals and directions represent guidelines for our future national reconstruction and are not to suggest that we are pursuing comfort or a life of luxury. We are consolidating our base and cultivating our national potential as the means for the elimination of the Chinese Communists and the recovery of the Chinese mainland so as to enable all our compatriots now suffering there to share with us the life of freedom, democracy and happiness under the banner of the Three Principles of the People.
I am wholly convinced that by following these goals and directions, and by being firm with dignity and self-reliant with vigor and by fighting hard, we can, under the enlightened leadership of our President, change the present situation, win the victory and accomplish our revolutionary tasks of national recovery and reconstruction.
Madame Chiang Kai-shek's remarks at the reception honoring returned Overseas Chinese
October 12, 1972
My overseas compatriots:
Today you have returned to your motherland. President Chiang and I are both very happy. He is still taking a rest and so has asked me to convey his welcome to you.
All of us are aware that this is a time of progress in science, but it is also a time of moral decay. Because a small number of people no longer have it conscience and have turned things upside down so that right is wrong and wrong is right, the masses of the people have been confused and have become blind followers at the cost of their conscience and ideals. The tragic result is the present situation in which there is no distinction between good and evil or advantage and disadvantage. Even more unfortunate is the existence of some so-called intellectuals who, though well-educated, are lacking in vision. They have been deceived by the treachery of "peaceful coexistence" and persuaded to make common cause with the Chinese Communists. Moreover, some world leaders seeking to serve their own advancement and ambition have been so indifferent as to allow themselves to be made accomplices in the transplanting and dissemination of the cancer, thus bringing misfortune to their own countries and peoples.
I recall that in 1966, speaking in Los Angeles, I quoted from Winston Churchill's book Triumph and Tragedy to the effect that the Great Democracies had triumphed and "so were able to resume the follies which had so nearly cost them their life." At that time, I pointed out that the Chinese Communists were counting on the resumption of these follies to bring about the decline and fall of the free world. Some people are now rushing and racing into the follies of surrender to and flattery of the Chinese Communists. This is the sad example and proof of folly which lies before our eyes.
When our National Father, Dr. Sun Yat-sen, undertook the National Revolution, our overseas compatriots, including some who were your ancestors of a generation or two ago, vied to participate in the Revolution. Some sacrificed their lives in the struggle, and others contributed to the cause with enthusiasm. They helped in making possible the overthrow of the decadent, humiliated and tyrannical Manchu dynasty and the final act in the revolutionary task of establishing the Republic. In visiting the Chung-shan Hall (Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall on Yangmingshan in suburban Taipei) today, you must not only have come to understand the difficulties and hardships faced by Dr. Sun in leading the Revolution, but must also have recognized that with the vacillation abroad in the world and with our country confronting great difficulties, all of us should take advantage of the opportunity to uphold and glorify the inheritance of sincere revolutionary spirit willed us by our National Father and martyrs. We can gird ourselves with added courage and vigor, and march resolutely forward to topple and exterminate the tyranny of the Chinese Communists so as to ensure the freedom and happiness of our nation and people.
Our nation is a nation of morality, a nation of justice and a nation with an enduring culture. These qualities make up the spirit and foundation on which our nation stands. Our overseas compatriots have not only exalted the sense of national righteousness. They also have been viewed as the representatives of our Chinese culture. You have recorded remarkable accomplishments in your every field of endeavor. You have demonstrated the distinguished characteristics of the Chinese people and have exemplified our national ethics and morality. That is why the Chinese people are respected everywhere throughout the world and why we can feel such great pride. And this is why you are an irresistible force in the upholding of justice and the resisting of evil in many places.
We at home are now uniting and preparing ourselves to carry on the current struggle. You who live abroad have turned your hearts toward your motherland and, expressing yourself in words and actions of patriotism, are devoting yourselves to this same struggle. Combining our strength for struggle and moving forward together, we cannot fail to liberate our relatives and other compatriots on the Chinese mainland from their enslavement and subjugation.
We have made great advances in all things here at home, yet much remains to be done. Our overseas compatriots can give us encouragement and support politically and in vestment and trade economically. These contributions have played an important part in the past progress of the motherland. I hope that during your stay in the motherland you will see as much as possible and visit widely so as to observe and make suggestions for improvement.
President Chiang and I wish all of you good health and happiness, and we ask you to join with us in wishing our country success with honor and prosperity.
Madame Chiang Kai-shek's speech honoring outstanding professors and teachers of the nation
September 28, 1972
President Chiang Kai-shek is recuperating from a slight indisposition and so has not come here today personally. He is, however, deeply appreciative of the efforts and contributions which you have devoted to education and academic research with all your heart and will. On his behalf, I extend to you his warm regards.
To a state, education is part of the work of nation-building. To an individual, education is the work of a virtuous sage. This accounts for the saying that "the root of education is bitter but the fruit of education is sweet." In your work of education and for academic research, your way may be hard and painful, but with the emergence of thousands and thousands of educated youths who have become patriotic citizens, and of a new generation of the talented who are useful to the nation and the people, you may recognize that yours is the most meaningful job in life, forget the discomfort of hard work and find happiness that the fruit has been harvested and that the knowledge, intelligence, ability and life which is yours have been passed on to another generation so that all your sweat, blood, sacrifice and effort have not been wasted at all.
We are all aware that we have honored Confucius for generations because of two considerations. First, he is a philosopher and his moral heritage of Confucianism accounts for the 5,000 uninterrupted years of Chinese culture and history. Second, he is a statesman and over the centuries his philosophy of statecraft has been based on the spirit of loving the people, caring for the material, internal government of sagacity and external government of righteousness. Out of these two recognitions, we have for generation after generation paid our respects to Confucius as a great and eternal teacher. This is because the substance and methods of Confucian education are exemplified, in terms of the individual, in the education of the personality for the pursuit of morality and knowledge; in terms of the family, for the cultivation of filial piety and brotherly love; in the terms of the school, for education combining the civilian and the military into a single whole and for respecting teachers and moral principles; and in terms of society for social education leading to a renascence of our customs and traditions. Putting all these together, we have Confucianism as an education of personal perfection, family harmony, community integrity, national peace and devoted to national salvation and the Great Commonwealth of the world. Confucian philosophy can therefore be summarized as both great education and great culture.
Education is the foundation of a nation. All of you, the educators, already have suffered much travail in your work. Yet in these times—when morality has decayed, when the distinction between good and evil has disappeared, when materialism is rampant and when human nature and reason are no more—our responsibility is quite evident. It is to revive our traditional culture, cultivate and train our new generation, and ensure that we the Chinese people shall stand up squarely in the world. All of this depends upon the energetic and redoubled endeavors of you the educators. I shall join with you in these efforts. I wish health and happiness to each of you.